


Laid Up

by Not_You



Series: It's Weird When Shaw Is Nice [20]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Angst, M/M, Multi, Pregnancy, fretful erik, the possibility of miscarriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-03-20
Packaged: 2017-12-05 21:58:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/728345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neither Erik nor Sebastian is operating at 100%, but for vastly different reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Laid Up

Azazel is kept busy ferrying messages to and fro as Sebastian slowly heals enough to make the overland journey home. Azazel's methods are safe enough for people in full health, but infants, invalids, and the elderly are all best transported by more conventional means.

Erik still hasn't told anyone his suspicions even as he needs to creep off every morning to vomit in secret. He's afraid even to acknowledge the thing to himself but is finally forced to as he watches tears well up in Charles's eyes. He takes a deep breath and steadies himself on the dresser, irrational fury over a misplaced brooch giving way to faintness.

"Erik?" He hates how hesitant Charles's voice is, and scrubs at his own eyes as they start to sting.

"I'm sorry, Charles," he whispers, gathering Charles into his arms.

"I'm sorry I lost it, I just didn't realize you cared so much…" he sniffles, and Erik's heart sinks even further.

"I… It doesn't matter, Charles." He hugs him tightly, and takes a deep breath. "It doesn't matter."

He sends a bird to Doom that night, and stays away from everyone while he waits, ferociously irritable. Before the fever he had been hoping that his next pregnancy wouldn't make him so angry, but now he'll have to take what he can get. He hugs his belly and tries not to panic until dawn, when Doom arrives, full workcase in hand. 

Erik spends the whole morning closeted with Doom, who examines him so thoroughly and so gently that Erik actually falls asleep again under his hands, waking up at the end to find Doom taking his pulse, deep in concentration. Finally, his eyes open behind the mask.

"You're going to need potions to keep this baby."

"Then I am--?"

"Up the pole, my lady? Yes."

Erik puts a hand to his belly and embarrasses himself by welling up with tears. "What do I need to do?"

What he needs to do is take an unbelievable cocktail of potions, and his first question is what it will do to the child.

"Not too much," Doom says, and Erik just glares. "Pigment abnormalities, usually in keratin tissues. No deformities, no idiocy, no madness."

"Hell, David's mad and we've done well enough so far," Erik mutters. "You know the Shaw coffers can pay your obscene materials fees, get on with it."

"Very good, my lady."

Now that he knows, he sends for Charles, pulling him down onto the bed and hugging him when he finally arrives. "Erik, what is it?" Erik hates himself for how frightened his junior consort sounds, and kisses him gently.

"Another child. I'm afraid I'm going to be hell to live with for a while, darling."

Charles is overjoyed at the news, and so is Anya when they tell her. It's a good thing she's older now, since Erik really does need a servant as trustworthy as his own child. He's on almost complete bed rest, and finds himself both irritable and petulant, unable even to have the relief of pacing in his tears or his rages. Worrying about Sebastian doesn't help at all, and Charles spends almost as much time in bed as Erik does, holding him close and murmuring reassurances. Anya brings him the ten thousand different things he craves, and all the bitter potions he's taking to keep this fluttering little life inside. He can feel it sometimes, ravaged body knotting up and trying to reject it, and he just grits his teeth and fights.

They get birds from Sebastian, his handwriting weak but recognizable, and the letters help Erik a little. He knows he's still hell to live with, but every time his mood swings to maudlin remorse and he cries and apologizes, Charles just hugs him and reminds Erik of the good care he took of Charles through both his pregnancies. Erik tries to sleep as much as possible, and is surprised one dark winter afternoon when David gently shakes him awake.

"I'm supposed to be napping, little nuisance," he murmurs in tones of deepest affection, ruffling David's hair.

"Father is coming home!" Erik sits up and demands a fuller report, summoning his silver mirror with his metal magic, grimacing at himself as David speaks. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his hair is further from clean than it should be. He's really too old to be vain and keeps telling himself this as he does his best to repair the damage, glad that he keeps his cosmetics close. David just sighs and shakes his head. "Father always thinks you're lovely, Erik."

"You'll understand when you're my age, little one. Have you told your mother?"

"Yes, he was closer, and said I should let you sleep. But they're very close now."

On cue the bell rings at the gate, and for just one fraction of a moment Erik would give up this child and all his careful work just to jump up and run to the high window that gives the best vantage of the north gate.


End file.
